Trent Cole | Linebacker | #58

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Free agent OLB/DE Trent Cole plans to continue his playing career.

Cole will be entering his age-35 season. He missed nine games last season due to a back injury but was able to return late in the year and is now healthy. Cole managed just five sacks across two seasons with the Colts as a 3-4 outside linebacker. He's spent most of his career as a 4-3 end. The Colts aren't expected to re-sign him. Cole will likely have to settle for one-year offers. Fri, Feb 24, 2017 10:25:00 AM

Zak Keefer of The Indianapolis Star does not expect impending free agent OLB Trent Cole to re-sign with the Colts.

The 34-year-old has said he wants to keep playing, but Keefer bluntly wrote Cole is "not coming back" to the Colts. Signed to a two-year, $16-million deal in 2015, Cole recorded just five sacks in 21 games across two seasons in Indianapolis. He did play reasonably well down the stretch after returning from in-season back surgery, however, and could help a contender as a situational pass rusher. Mon, Feb 13, 2017 09:08:00 PM

QB Stephen Morris was waived in the corresponding roster move. Cole resumed practicing on Monday, and should be all systems go for Monday night's game against the Jets. He hasn't played since injuring his back in Week 2. Cole is a situational pass rusher at this stage of his career. Thu, Dec 1, 2016 04:26:00 PM

Cole returned to practice Monday, starting the 21-day clock for his activation. Cole was limited even before being placed on injured reserve in late September, but he should be a boost to the pass rush if healthy. With Cole on the way back, OG Hugh Thornton's (foot) season is officially over. Mon, Nov 28, 2016 11:41:00 AM

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Zak Keefer of The Indianapolis Star does not expect impending free agent OLB Trent Cole to re-sign with the Colts.

The 34-year-old has said he wants to keep playing, but Keefer bluntly wrote Cole is "not coming back" to the Colts. Signed to a two-year, $16-million deal in 2015, Cole recorded just five sacks in 21 games across two seasons in Indianapolis. He did play reasonably well down the stretch after returning from in-season back surgery, however, and could help a contender as a situational pass rusher.

QB Stephen Morris was waived in the corresponding roster move. Cole resumed practicing on Monday, and should be all systems go for Monday night's game against the Jets. He hasn't played since injuring his back in Week 2. Cole is a situational pass rusher at this stage of his career.

Cole returned to practice Monday, starting the 21-day clock for his activation. Cole was limited even before being placed on injured reserve in late September, but he should be a boost to the pass rush if healthy. With Cole on the way back, OG Hugh Thornton's (foot) season is officially over.

He's dealing with a back issue, and likely need surgery. This came seemingly out of nowhere as Cole logged 29 snaps in Sunday's win over San Diego. With the new IR rules in place, Cole could return later this season but he'll still miss at least two months. Cole was rotating with Robert Mathis at right outside linebacker before the injury.

Cole will keep his $1.875 million roster bonus. Signed to a two-year deal last offseason, Cole managed just three sacks in 14 games in his first year with the Colts. Cole is 33 and clearly in the decline phase of his career, but Indy cannot afford to let competent pass rushers walk. He should retain a role as a rotational rusher this season.

Cole recorded just three sacks after signing a two-year, $14 million deal last offseason. Cutting Cole will save $6.125 million against the cap. The Colts need to find some edge rushers this offseason.

Cole signed a two-year, $14 million deal last offseason after being cut by the Eagles. The sack numbers weren't there with just three, but Cole did receive positive marks from PFF for his pass-rush heat. He's due to count $7.125 million against the cap, and the Colts can save $6.125 million of that by cutting him. Finding pass rushers has been a problem for GM Ryan Grigson.

Colts OLB Trent Cole (knee) was listed as questionable for Week 4 against the Titans.

Cole suffered a knee injury during Thursday's practice and was not able to get in any work on Friday. He will almost certainly be out. Robert Mathis (probable, Achilles) could see an expanded workload in his second game back.

Trent Cole will start at rush linebacker if Robert Mathis (Achilles') isn't ready for Week 1.

Mathis is 34 years old and his rehab off an Achilles' tear has had some complications. A team with Super Bowl aspirations like the Colts should ease him in slowly. That would leave Cole, one of the game's most underrated pass rushers of the last decade, with a major early-season role. He has posted 14.5 sacks, six forced fumbles and 10 tackles for a loss over the last two seasons while playing roughly three-quarters of the snaps.

Colts signed OLB Trent Cole to a two-year, $16 million contract with $8 million guaranteed.

It addresses a glaring need. Cole is 32 years old, but has quietly been one of the game's best pass-rushers for a decade and transitioned surprisingly well to a 3-4 outside linebacker role under Chip Kelly. He has 85.5 sacks in 155 career games, ability that would be welcomed in Indy with Robert Mathis coming off an Achilles' tear. PFF graded Cole as a top-12 pass-rushing 3-4 outside linebacker last season and also gave him positive run-defense marks.

He'll follow up with a Monday visit to the Colts. Cole already visited the Buccaneers, and the 49ers have reportedly expressed interest. Cole is seen as best suited for a 4-3 defense, but is also plenty functional in a 3-4.

Free agent DE/OLB Trent Cole will visit the Colts if he leaves Tampa Bay without a contract.

The 49ers have also expressed interest, though no meeting is scheduled. Of the three teams currently linked to Cole, the Buccaneers offer the best fit because they utilize a 4-3 scheme. Cole was let go by the Eagles amidst a flurry of transactions earlier in the week.

This one was easy to predict. Bucs GM Jason Licht was in Philly when Cole was drafted, he has a ton of cap space to burn and is in desperate need of an improved pass rush. Cole also likely wants to get back in his natural 4-3 end role after spending the last two years as a 3-4 outside linebacker. Although Cole will turn 33 in October, he can still be very effective as a rotational rusher.

Cole is expected to draw interest from multiple teams now that he's been officially released. He was a 3-4 edge rusher with the Eagles last year, but is better suited as an end in 4-3 schemes. Cole has also been linked to the Jets.

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NFL Network's Ian Rapoport went as far as to say Luck's shoulder is "fine," and that the problems now involve "parts around Luck's shoulder," which to us just confirms Luck's throwing arm remains problematic. It's worth remembering that at this time last year the Colts were promising Luck would be ready for Week 1, and even activated him from the PUP list last September, giving off the impression he'd at last play at some point in the first six games. He wound up never playing a snap.

Swoope was hoping to return from a knee injury later in the year but never progressed enough to make that a reality. "It’s close, but we would never put him out there unless he could go out there and be 100 percent," said coach Chuck Pagano. Jack Doyle will continue to serve as the Colts' primary tight end.